Cap and package



NOV. 15, 1938. 1 C. @|555 2,136,545

CAP AND PACKAGE Filed Jan. 19, 1935 fiumi w ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. l5, 1938 CAP AND PACKAGE .ulm c. Gibb., Brooklyn, N. y., assigns: u Anchor Cap & Closure Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 1o, 1935, serial No. 2,436

lclaim.

The present invention relates to the sealing art and more particularly to a sealed package provided with a closure cap which may be readily sealed and removed and may thereafter be used 5 for resealing the package.

Closure caps having a compressible gasket in the skirt adapted to be telescoped over the mouth or sealing surface of a container by downward pressure on the cap are popular because they can be sealed by simple inexpensive capping devices and can be' easily removed. One of the dilculties with these caps is that they do not accommodate containers having a substantial range of variation from a true standard in both size and circularity. In many instances defectively sealed packages result, which is objectionable particularly if a hermetic or vacuum seal' is required to preserve the product. To guard against l this contingency, packers use closures which are sealed with greater diiliculty and which do not attain the advantages of simple press-on closures.

The present invention aims to overcome these diillculties by providing an improved cap having a gasket in the skirt adapted to be pressed over and sealed securely to a container by a simple inexpensive capping device, and further aims to insure a secure seal in every instance by providing a cap having a plurality of zones for exerting concentrated sealing pressure on the gasket to form a multiple seal on the container.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive sealed package wherein the cap may be securely sealed by simple capping machinery.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap adapted to be pressed on a container by downward pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap which is readily removed from the,

container and which may beused to reseal the container during the consumption of the contents. Another object of the invention is to provide a press-on closure cap which exerts concentrated sealing pressure on a gasket ata plurality of zones to form a secure hermetic or vacuum seal. A Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap having a gasket therein and a pair of ribs in the skirt thereof adapted to cooperate with a bead on a container toseal the cap securely on the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap having a gasket therein and a pair of ribs in the skirt of the cap adapted to seal the gasket on the side wall of a container, onev of the ribs extending further radially inwardly than (Cl. 21S-40) the other to exert substantially greater sealing pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a press-on closure cap having a wire edge in the skirt adapted to strengthen the skirt to prevent distortion oi' the cap and to provide a purchase grip for a cap removing tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press-on closure cap having the lower edge of the skirt rolled into a wire edge or bead to vconceal the raw edge and having the bead set inwardly to form a support for a gasket.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claim, and various advantages not referred tol herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown inthe accompanying drawing, forming a part of the speciication, wherein,

- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cap shown in Fig. 1 before it is applied to a container;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cap sealed on a container;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating still another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of ledge for support:- ing the sealing gasket.

Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, there is shown avsealed package comprising a container l, and a' closure cap 2. 'I'he container here shown is in the form of a tumbler although the invention is equally applicable to jars and other types of receptacles. The upper end of the container is provided with aA rim 4 having slightly rounded edges adapted to facilitate pressing the cap thereover and a sealing zone 5,'which preferably is substantially cylindrical and has a bead or rib 22 thereon. If desired, the container may be provided with a pry-olf ledge 6 at a point slightly below the sealing Azone to permit a tool tobe inserted below the lower edge of the cap for prying the cap upwardly from the container. The ledge I may be annular or continuous or may be in the form of a lug extending about the periphery of the container for a relatively short distance.

The closure cap 2 comprises a cover portion 'I and a depending skirt 9 having a sealing zone Il at its upper end. The zone lli is provided with a pair of radially inwardly extending ribs or beads II-I I adapted to press a gasket I2 carried in the skirt of the cap against the sealing zone I of the container. Preferably, the ribs Il are narrow so that concentrated sealing pressure is exerted against the side wall of the container. Preferably, two ribs are provided although a greater or lesser number of ribs may be utilized if desired. In this manner, the gasket is sealed against the container very securely, preferably at two zones thereby preventing defective sealing of packages. Also. by utilizing a plurality of sealing ribs the caps are fully capable of effectively sealing containers which are slightly outof-round, which vary slightly beyond the permissive range of size tolerances, or which have imperfections in the finish or sealing zone. Another feature of the cap is that the upper rib Il may be formed very close to the cover part 'I of the cap to prevent the contents of the container from getting back of vthe gasket. In some cases, 'it may be feasible to increase the flexibility of the skirt by providing a pair of annularly arranged interrupted ribs instead of continuous ribs as illustrated herein, but such interruption should not be of sui'iicient size to impair the seal.

The lower part of the skirt is ilared downwardly and outwardly at Il to hold the gasket I2 in upwardly and inwardly ilared position to facilitate telescoping it over the mouth of the container by downward pressure on the cap. 'I'his flared portion I 4 extends from the lower rib or bead II 40" downwardly to a wire edge I formed at the bottom of the skirt. The wire edge preferably is formed by rolling the free edge of the skirt outwardly and thereafter or.simultaneously setting it radially inwardly to provide a shelf or ledge Ii at the inside of the cap for supporting the gasket I2. 'Ihe wire edge makes the cap more rigid and easier to apply and remove without mutilation, and provides a good purchase grip for a cap removing tool. Also, the wire edge conceals the raw edge of the skirt and prevents corrosion thereof.

The outwardly extending rib or bead 22 at the sealing zone 5 is positioned so that the upper and lower ribs Il of the cap exert concentrated sealing pressure above and below 1t, respectively (Fig. 3). The rib 22 locks the cap securely on the container against accidental removal and is particularly advantageous when it is desired to process or sterilize the contents of the package. The interlocking seal provided by the ribs II and rib 22 securely holds the cap in sealed position to resist pressures within the container during the sealing operation or when the package is sterilized.

In Fig. 4 a modification of the invention is shown wherein the cap is provided with an upper rib I1 and a lower rib I9. The upper rib I1 is 4 rolled substantially deeper and extends further radially inwardly than the lower rib I! to exert greater sealing pressure substantially at the top of the sealing zone 5. In this manner the cap is sealed securely at the upper part of the sealing zone and any tendency of the cap to pop off or loosen is minimized. Also, when the cap is telescoped or pressed over the mouth of the container the gasket is held in tapered position and sealing pressure on the gasket is gradually increased as the cap is moved into its sealed position. The

shallow lower sealing rib facilitates the passage of the end of the container past the upper rib which has a smaller inner circumference.

In Fig. 5 another way of attaining the above advantages is illustrated wherein the skirt 9 of the cap is tapered or flared upwardly and inwardly from the wire edge to the cover part so that the upper rib 20 extends further inwardly than the lower rib 2|. The upper rib by reason of its smaller diameter will be more rigid and will provide a tighter seal at the upper end of the sealing zone. If desired, the lower rib may be rolled deeper or further inwardly with respect to the skirt than the upper rib so that the inner- 'most portions of the upper and lower ribs at the interior of the skirt are substantially in vertical alignment. Also, ii'l desired, the lower rib may be slightly wider to make it more flexible whereby the gripping action of the cap is gradually increased as it is pressed on the container.

In Fig. 6 a cap is shown having the lower edge of the skirt flanged inwardly to provide a substantially at or horizontal shelf 2l for supporting the gasket I2. Suitable ribs II are provided in the upper part of the skirt for exerting concentrated sealing pressure against the gasket as described-above.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an improved cap adapted to be pressed over the mouth of the container by simple inexpensive machinery to form an eiectively sealed package. The lower are of the skirt facilitates application of the cap and the wire edge provided at the bottom increases the strength of the cap to prevent mutilation thereof. The wire edge also provides a good purchase grip for a cap removing tool to facilitatel removal. 'I'he ribs in the upper part of the skirt press the gasket securely against the container to provide a plurality of zones at which concentrated sealing pressure is exerted. The package can be readily opened by the usual cap removing tool or by inserting a coin or tool between the bottom of the cap and the pry-off ledge to pry the cap from the container. Further, the resulting package is rugged in construction and fully capable of withstanding rough usage to which it may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention. I claim:

A sealed package comprising in combination. a container having a sealing surface provided with an outwardly extending bead, a closure cap, a gasket in said cap, an inwardly extending rib in the skirt of said cap adapted to press said gasket against the sealing surface above said bead, and a second rib in the skirt of said cap adapted to press said gasket against the sealing zone below said bead.

JOHN C. GIBBS. 

